MISTRESS TALIA THORNWOOD
EldoriansMaster Herbalist and Apothecary
"The forest provides. Our job is to learn what it offers and how to use it wisely.""
Identity
- Residence
- Thornwood Apothecary, Oakenhall market district
- Civilization
- Eldorians
Appearance
• Physical: Wiry and weathered with gray-streaked brown hair in practical braids, hands stained green from herb work, and sharp hazel eyes that assess ailments at a glance. • Clothing: Simple robes of undyed linen with dozens of pockets containing dried herbs, with an apron that tells the history of her work through its stains. • Distinguishing Marks: Her fingernails are permanently green; a small scar on her wrist from a poisonous plant encounter; wears a necklace of dried healing herbs.
Relationships
- Family - Parents still farming; a brother who became a soldier
- Allies - Matron Hestia, her mentor; the healers' guild; those she's cured
- Rivals - Physicians who dismiss her "folk remedies"
Backstory
Talia was born to a farming family and discovered her gift for herbalism when she saved her village from fever using only forest plants. She trained under Matron Hestia before opening her own shop. She's known for cures that work when nothing else does.
Daily Life
Dawns gathering herbs, days preparing remedies and treating patients, evenings studying new techniques. She makes house calls for those who can't come to her, often working herself to exhaustion.
Secret
Talia has discovered a plant that can cure any poison but is itself deadly if misused. She's hidden its location, terrified of what would happen if it became known.
Story Hooks
- 1 Someone has learned of her miracle plant and is trying to steal it
- 2 A plague is spreading that her usual remedies can't touch, and she needs help finding a cure
Narrative Value
Healer and source of remedies; quest giver for herbalist missions; provider of medical knowledge; potential source of rare cures. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════